


Five Times Seraphina Incorrectly Guessed Percival's Middle Name, and the One Time He Told Her

by Truetomorrow



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: 5 + 1 Fic, 5 Things, 5th ch has smut, As with everything I write for this fandom..., Blow Jobs, But less sorry than my other fic?, Credence and Percival being my faves, Gen, Grinding, M/M, NEW TAGS:, Percy and Sera being BEST FRIENDS, Probably not much smut if any, Somewhere between crack and fluff, Tagging Mature just in case though, There is absolutely going to be smut, This idea just popped into my head, Wedding, and I had to write it, but not enough to be in the relationships list, everything else is just fluff and angst and silly friendship, f/f - Freeform, i'm just so sorry, idek, lol u thot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-09-28 14:31:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10116890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Truetomorrow/pseuds/Truetomorrow
Summary: The quest to discover his middle name is a challenge, and what else do Sera and Percy do but challenge each other?Five times Seraphina tries to guess Percival's middle name, and the one time he tells her.





	1. Say My Name (5)

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, this could go just about anywhere? Comments and kudos are the only drugs I need (besides coffee, obvi), so give me your guesses! Or your hate! Or anything! I have this and the #1 chapter written, and I know what the +1 chapter will be, but...... other than that, who knowssss
> 
> Also, I blame [polymathema](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Polymathema) for encouraging me to write this. So it's only like... 98% my fault this happened.

            Percival can hardly remember a time before he and Seraphina were rivals. They hadn’t always been _friendly_ rivals, and it took even longer after that to become just friends—but their relationship as rivals was where it all started. Something about the way she could be reduced to sputtering _rage_ amused Percival to no end.

            Even at the beginning, though, they followed a code for proper behavior. They both came from highly respected families and even if they enjoyed pissing each other off for no apparent reason, there were ways to do this appropriately. Even as children.

            When Seraphina is given her first taste of power, she… well, Percival can’t say she goes _mad_ with it, but having any of that power flouted does tend to drive her to frustrated anger better than anything he had yet discovered since they had cemented their relationship as _friendly_ rivals. (He still remembers fondly the reaction in their first year when he had enchanted her house scarf to lick her face any time anyone said the word “flick” as they all sat together as a group, studying charms. The detention had been worth it for the look of fury on her face when she caught him watching her struggle with her misbehaving accessory.)

 ~*~

            It all starts innocently enough in their last year at Ilvermorny, with Percival noticing Seraphina using students’ full names when she catches them misbehaving on rounds. She tends to dislike jumping right to deducting points or throwing around detentions; Seraphina Picquery believe in being fair when meting out punishment, but she’s not above playing a little dirty to get her way. Layering on the guilt, looking dead on into the student’s face as she focuses on every syllable of first, middle, and last names, she draws the guilty party in with the full weight of her focus, until they can barely manage to meet her steady gaze. Most rule-breakers make sure never to cross Sera twice.

            But then there is Percival.

            Percival is a little shit, and basks in the knowledge that Sera _does not know_ his middle name. She pretends she does, but he is absolutely positive she does not, as it is not something she would ever let him forget. Or live down. He also knows she will not stoop to getting the information out of school records, or professors. The quest to discover his middle name is a challenge, and what else do Sera and Percy do but challenge each other?

 ~*~

            Waiting for Sera in the hallway, Percival pretends he doesn’t see her when she finally turns down the corridor, focusing all of his attention on his hands (empty, but Sera doesn’t know that) and thrusting them guiltily behind his back when Sera gets close enough. He clears his throat and doesn’t meet her eyes, though he can’t help the inner gloating as she growls right on cue.

            “What are you doing?” She hasn’t moved closer—knowing he won’t hurt her, and trusting him not to have booby-trapped something around him just to annoy her being two very different things—and Percival clears his throat again.

            “No-nothing. It’s nothing you need to worry about.” Oh yes, the glare is in full swing now.

            “Percival— Percival…” She is floundering, and he can’t keep the smirk off of his face any longer, watching as she begins to pace like a caged animal. He wonders if she’ll hex him this time. “PERCIVAL JOHN MADISON GRAVES!”

            Percival bursts out laughing, and Seraphina joins in once she gets over the shock of screaming at him in a hallway they are supposed to be checking for troublesome students. They lock eyes as they collapse against each other on the ground, and know they have slipped into friendship.

            Percival still refuses to tell her his middle name, but Seraphina is content. There are plenty of founding fathers, and Percy has never been one for staying out of trouble. They have time.


	2. A Rose by Any Other Name (4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're all in this together   
> (really just an edit to fix some typos)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I now have three chapters fully written... The first, this one, and chapter 5, which is pure smut. And almost twice as long as the first chapter. And also may be the reason this whole idea popped in my head in the first place.  
> The first lil bit of Gradence will be coming in chapter 4. Finally. (Why am I so impatient?? I'm the one writing it, sheesh)
> 
> Honestly, thank you all SO much for reading! Comments and kudos are wonderful <3 <3

            Seraphina is terrifying.

            Percival Graves can admit that to himself. His boggart in the auror training program hadn’t taken the form of Sera… but he had noticed a certain tilt to the smile on the snake-clown’s face that he would _never_ mention to his friend. The expression was eerily similar to the tilt Seraphina’s lips formed right before the two of them ended up in detention when they had been in school.

            Even after graduation, what choice does Percival have but to go along with whatever Sera has planned? And really: why would he ever want to do otherwise? Even if she were not quite so commanding, Percy thinks, he would follow her to the ends of the earth. Who else would keep her in check?

~*~

            While unusual, it is not unheard of for an Ilvermorny student to be chosen by each house, but Seraphina had not stopped being the exception there. She had graduated as the top witch of their class, has the full support and power of the Picquery name behind her, and has decided she _will_ be President. With the weight of her family name as well as her own intelligence and skills, she was a shoe-in for the upper levels of MACUSA offices, even fresh out of Ilvermorny, and yet she is determined to work her way up from the bottom.

            Those who don’t know her as well as Percy does think she is a self-starter. They praise her for working hard to earn a position rather than relying on her connections. While these things are not _un_ true—Percival has always had a head for strategy.

            He knows Sera well, and he knows the value of understanding an organization inside out, making oneself invaluable and all but omnipotent about the inner workings of MACUSA.

            If Seraphina knows what each position at MACUSA entails, she knows best how to make use of the witches and wizards who will work there after her.

            They sit, getting shitfaced in celebration of Percy’s successful completion of Auror training—he is now Junior Auror Graves, thank you very much—and Sera is regaling him with stories from the lower levels of the administration.

            She is smiling fully, telling him about the new summer intern for her latest department, wand permits he is pretty sure, and how the poor kid had filed every wand permit for the past year by hand. Only for the head of the department to realize they had been sorted alphabetically by wand wood, not by the owner’s name.

            No one is quite sure how the teen managed to make such a mess of the whole thing, although the organization itself was done faultlessly; but Sera thinks he has potential, so Percy is sure Abernathy will be working for MACUSA if he applies after graduation.

~*~

            Percival isn’t sure how long they have been drinking, by now. Or even what they have been drinking.

            All he knows is he is warm and happy in a way he isn’t sure he ever will be again. They have not been children for quite some time, but things are different now. He will be a fully-fledged auror soon, and Seraphina is working on her first pieces of independent legislation. What if he messes up? The contented haze starts to fade away.

            Percival likes the law, follows it to the letter. It’s the _rules_ he has a hard time with. There are just so many he butts up against. So many he thinks are useless, or backwards. So many he just can’t help bending until they hit that barrier of _law._

            What if he screws up? All he has ever wanted was to be an auror. What if—

            He doesn’t realize any of this had been spoken aloud until Sera lifts her head and mumbles regally,

            “Percival Benjamin Franklin Graves, if you ever get demoted, you could do worse than the Wand Permits office.”

            Seraphina’s arm is warm against his shoulders as she pulls him closer to her, and he takes a deep breath, a laugh huffing out.

            “I’ll remember that. Still not my name, though.”

            Sera swats at his nose with her free hand, and Percy realizes they are going to be okay. They have each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, I did see Lego Batman, lol
> 
> I may end up reworking these chapters. Right now, though, I'm avoiding working on HWYC because I can't decide if I should end it in the next chapter, or do a few more to draw out the... erm... "suspense." If you have thoughts either way, shoot me a message on tumblr, or leave a comment, (hashtag shameless plug for my other WiP)


	3. What's Your Name, Man? (3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee, wonder what her guess could be, this chapter??? xD

            When Percival had first come back from the war, and Seraphina had begun her campaign for the presidency in earnest, preparing for her eventual run for office, Sera had been the only person Percival trusted enough to truly sleep around.

            They each have their separate apartments, but spend more nights together than apart that first year. No discussions happen, Percival just apparates into her living room, her wards alert her, and she sends her patronus to greet him if she is elsewhere.

            On the bad nights, the ones where he had tried to sleep at his own home, and woken up to images he pretends to ignore during the day, Percival only has the energy to floo to Sera’s, where he would dose himself with Dreamless Sleep and curl up on the sofa in her office while she works into the night on her platform, her plans: every step she needs to take to mount a successful campaign.

            The next morning he wakes up, and they eat breakfast together before Percival stops at home to change before they meet again at MACUSA. No words are needed on the mornings following those nights, and eventually they occur less and less frequently.

            Coming to depend on potions, even potions meant to help, is dangerous and Percival knows he has to begin to deal with his problems. He is a fully-fledged auror now, and he knows what hopes Sera has for him when—and he has no doubts that she will become President if it is what she wants—she takes office.

            As the weeks pass Percival decreases his use of the potions, but begins showing up more often at Seraphina’s. He still sleeps curled up on the sofa next to Sera’s desk, but when she eventually gives in to her own exhaustion, Seraphina has to make the decision of whether to wake her friend or leave him here to wake up alone. Most nights she wakes him and he is still tired enough to drag himself off to her guest bed.

            One night she falls asleep in her chair before the choice is made, and wakes up a short time later when Percival shouts and flails his body off of the sofa. She holds him as he shakes, her heart pounding out of her chest. It has been months since she has seen one of these nightmares, but she still remembers the signs, wishes she had been awake to catch it sooner.

            Percival shakes against Sera as they sprawl on the carpet, and she pulls him closer, holding him as tightly as he will let her. It takes a while, but the shaking calms.

            “…I’m sorry.” Percival’s voice is rough and weak, and Sera immediately shushes him.

            “Percy, it’s alright. Do you… do you want to talk about it?” Sera doesn’t expect an answer, he hasn’t wanted to explain before, but Percival holds very still, before burrowing his face into Sera’s neck.

            “It’s… There was… When I was in Europe.” Always “Europe,” never a reference to the war itself. Sera strokes her hand through his hair in silence. “There was a… I met someone. Another… another wizard.” Her hands don’t stop moving, but Sera feels the shock ripple through her.

            “We…” Percival lets out a damp laugh and clings to Sera, even as he continues to hide his face against her. “He’s alive, he’s fine. A hero, really. But in my dreams he…” Sera pulls him even tighter as he exhales shakily. “In my dreams, he doesn’t make it. Or… or we’re discovered. And he’s punished. You know how the English wizards are. Those _damn_ purebloods with their outdated—” He can’t continue and Sera scoffs. She is well familiar with the views of the English wizarding population.

            Pulling his head back so he can see her face, Percival finally meets her eyes. “Does this… Sera, does my…”

            America is not England, and American wizards are a lot more forgiving—if not quite as accepting as, say, the French wizards—of being gay… as long as it is kept private, no one cares. Sera has long had a pet project of challenging that, bringing the issue out, allowing American witches and wizards to marry whomever they choose. Not in secret on trips to Canada that are considered legal in only the strictest sense of the word, but in full ceremonies of the couples’ choosing.

            Eyes locked with her best friend, Seraphina smiles in the feline way she knows he recognizes as the one that means they are about to do something potentially very foolish. “Percival Alexander Hamilton Graves, I have some legislation I’ve been working on that I think you may be particularly interested in, if you’re up for it?”

            Ignoring the tears in his eyes Percival smiles, the first expression of joy Seraphina had seen on his face in far too long. Heads tucked together over the Summoned paperwork, they talk until the sun rises.

            Percival and Seraphina are an unstoppable team; this is just one more thing they would conquer together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment?? Do you hate it? Love it? Any thoughts? Sorry this update took so long, I fell into the depths of despair, OOPS!
> 
> tbh, I'm not super happy with this chapter, but It Was A Process just writing it. The next two chapters are at least 90% written, it was just this one being awful holding me up. 
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr if you need more gradence or want to watch me struggle to write even these short lil chapters: [My Tumblr](http://chryselephantinechaos.tumblr.com)


	4. Screaming the Name of a Foreigner's God (2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for your kudos, and a particular thank you to those of you who leave comments. Your words mean so much <3 <3  
> Thanks for reading!

            After the Grindlewald debacle, Seraphina refuses to leave Percival’s bedside until he wakes up. She is perfectly capable of doing what work needs to be completed by the President from just where she is. Anything that has to be dealt with in person will be handled by her Vice President.

            Merlin knows he hasn’t had much else to do since Seraphina took office. He can deal with an increase in his duties for a few days.

            That very first night, the night they captured Grindlewald, while the hunt for the real Percival Graves had surged through the city, she had been unable to sleep. Even knowing that her duty called for her to make sure she was in prime condition, the questions refused to stop their circling in her brain.

            What if she _had_ noticed? Would Grindlewald have taken care of removing her? (What if they never found Percy?) What if Grindlewald had succeeded in controlling the Obscurus? (What if they found Percy and it was too late?)

            The questions, the doubts, are helping no one, and the guilt is something she knows she will have to learn to live with. Her right hand man—her _best friend_ had been kidnapped and replaced with that bleached terrorist, and Seraphina had had no idea that anything was wrong.

            Every iteration and every variation on questions of the events of the past week stampede through her thoughts, until she knows it is time to make a decision.

            The madman had held him captive for a whole WEEK and no one realized. No one noticed.

            _She_ hadn’t noticed.

            If not for the stress and constant distractions of the Obscurus attacks, she wonders, _would_ she have seen? Would she have noticed that anything was different? That anything was off?

            Then again, would Grindlewald have even come to New York in the first place, if not for his desire for the Obscurus?

            No one can ever know the answers for sure, and they both have duties that _must_ take precedence over these feelings.

            After all, they still have time, Sera tells herself. Time to work through their…

            And suddenly she is _furious_.

            So when she sees Percival open his eyes blearily at that very moment, she has not had enough time to order her thoughts although she knows she should remain calm. She should tell him how glad she is that he is alive. That she is relieved he is okay. That she is so, so sorry. But her emotions are not yet under control and so she voices the first thing she can think of when their eyes meet.

            “PERCIVAL GEORGE WASHINGTON GRAVES IF YOU EVER GET YOURSELF KIDNAPPED AND ALMOST KILLED AGAIN, I SWEAR—“ She breaks off when Percival reaches to take her hand, smiling at her, tired but so _alive_.

            “Not even close….” He takes a deep breath, tries to look around the room although he barely has the strength for even that small movement. “I missed you, too, Sera,” still holding her hand tightly, and she feels the tears fighting to escape. He’s going to be okay. Percival is strong. Grindlewald has not won.

            Seraphina allows herself one last squeeze of his hand before releasing it and sitting back regally in her chair.

            “How’s… is…” He finally catches sight of the figure in the other chair by his bed, a figure who has somehow remained asleep through the President’s brief shouting fit. The fond smile on his face turns tender. “Credence.” This, finally, causes the boy to shrug awake.

            Credence looks even more disoriented than he had when the small, rather unlikely, team of Seraphina, Tina Goldstein, and Newt Scamander had found him clinging to the unconscious, real, Percival Graves, just before he passed out. This time, they had approached with caution, and brought both men straight to MACUSA’s healers.

            Officially, Credence Barebone was never the Obscurus. Officially, it is Modestly Barebone who never survived the attack in the subway. Officially, the whole matter of the Obscurus attacks has been wrapped up. The no-maj public has been Obliviated and the matter is closed.

            The child herself has been placed with the Goldsteins until her magical ability can be determined and until something more permanent comes along. Sera finds herself wondering if she is the maternal type. It might be nice to find out. This is her last term, after all.

            It wasn’t until after Percival was settled in his room that Seraphina even realized the boy was still there. She had known he was in the buiding, being checked out by the healers, and looked after by the newly-reinstated Auror Goldstein and Scamander, but how he had made his way into the heavily warded room of her Director of Magical Security she couldn’t begin to guess. As for why he refused to leave Percival’s side, well, she had a few guesses there. Most of which have now been confirmed.

            Silently, she rises from her chair and slips from the room. She will be back soon enough with questions and Aurors and _protocol_. But for now, Percival deserves just a few moments of peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, not totally happy with this chapter, but I just kept PICKING at it, so it was time to just get it posted. Besides the next chapter, this was one of the first ones I actually wrote for this fic. (so close to the end, omg I might actually make it, y'all!)
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr: [My Tumblr](http://chryselephantinechaos.tumblr.com)


	5. The Waves Only Sway to the Sound of Your Name (1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Here there be smut. If you don't want Gradence, and are only here for Percy/Sera friendship feels, scroll down to the bottom (past the ~*~) to get to this chapter's middle name guess. 
> 
> If you do want the Gradence... please enjoy xD
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, and left a kudos! Only one more chapter left, what madness!

            Credence is staring again. Percival can feel the eyes prickle into his profile, and as much as he tries to ignore the younger man, he knows he is only postponing the inevitable. He bites back a groan. It’s not even lunch yet, they have only been in the office for two hours, so it is barely realistic to claim it as being time for any break.

            Percival can’t stop himself from shifting in his chair, and he catches movement in his periphery, glancing over swiftly.

            “Oh, fuck. Credence…” His eyes shoot to his office door, and with a wave of his hand the door is shut, the room warded and silenced, and he is back to gazing at his boy.

            Credence lets out a whine at this display, and rubs the bulge in his pants harder. “Come here. Come here…” Percival pushes back from the desk and in an instant has a lapful of squirming Credence.

            Percy slides down to adjust for the awkwardness of having two bodies in the chair, but that creates a shift in their positions that causes both of them to groan, and Percival grabs Credence’s hips, dragging him back up so his ass is firmly against Percival’s cock, now happily awake and far too hard for how little they have actually touched.

            This is often the case when he is with Credence, though. One knowing glance from his feline eyes, a flick of that pink tongue over the lips he can’t seem to stop nibbling, or that one time he had combined the two actions with the tiniest smirk… and Percy is immediately on the edge of control, ready for more.

            With a glance at the clock on his desk, Percival knows they don’t have _time_ for as much _more_ as he would like, so he moves one hand to press against Credence’s lower back, making him arch and grind against Percival’s stomach, his firm ass still brushing in a delicious tease over Percival’s bulge.

            Looking up at the rapturous face of the beautiful boy using him for his own pleasure, Percival doesn’t hold back any of his thoughts; he praises Credence in between his mewling whimpers, growls out what he wishes he had time to do to the boy on this very desk, whispers how much he loves Credence, and surges up to capture those constantly-swollen lips as Credence whines and comes, hips bucking into the firm body against him.

            They pant against each other for a few moments, and Percival’s whole body is tense as he fights every instinct to thrust against the hot weight of the younger man’s relaxed form in his lap.

            Percival groans when Credence slips away from him, and nearly shouts when he feels his pants just… disappear. He brushes a hand through the boy’s dark locks and gives him a fond smile as Credence grins up at him. He’s getting better with magic, but this is hardly the time to _vanish_ clothing. Still, Percival grins at the mischievous glint in Credence’s dark eyes. He will do anything to make sure his boy knows the joy of magic, and apparently that includes sitting in his office in the middle of a workday with no pants on.

            Not that that is such a struggle, Percival muses as Credence finally dips his head down and runs his tongue over the slick tip of Percival’s cock.

            “God, I love you.” Percival murmurs, stroking Credence’s hair tenderly. “But we need to be quick now.”

            Credence meets his eyes with a grin. “I know,” his eyes soften then as he states, “I love you,” and slips down to swallow Percival’s length whole.

            Percival doesn’t last long after that.

~*~

            Seraphina and Queenie step into Percival’s office when he bids them enter, and Sera notices with some surprise that the couch in the corner of the office is empty, books still spread out on the table and cushions. Percival looks up from the paperwork on his desk with a raised eyebrow at the two women.

            “Madam President,” he nods, “Miss Goldstein.”

            Before Sera can speak, Queenie… squawks. Percival doesn’t so much as blink, his face carefully neutral, but Sera takes one look at Queenie’s blush and uncomfortable stance, remembers the couch empty of its usual occupant, and growls.

            “Percival. Thomas Jefferson. Graves. IN YOUR OFFICE?” As is far too common when dealing with her Director of Magical Security and long-time best friend, she is torn between hexing the man and bursting out laughing because _of fucking course_. As she is, unfortunately at this moment, still the President and **somebody** in MACUSA has to be a responsible adult, neither option is open to her.

            Graves shrugs blandly, arms loose and kept visible on the desk.

            Taking pity on the young woman beside her, eyes scrunched tightly and cheeks still bright with embarrassment, Sera levels a cool look at the Director.

            “We will return later” she pauses for the space of a heartbeat, where she almost says ‘as you were’ but remembers herself just in time for a frustrated, “back to work, Director.”

            As she sweeps out of the office, it is impossible to miss the damn _twinkle_ in Percival’s eye. Heart light, she smiles as the door is shut—and firmly warded—behind her.

            She has never seen Percival this happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can come find me on [tumblr](http://chryselephantinechaos.tumblr.com), and please leave a comment if you enjoyed? 
> 
> The title for this chapter is from [this Christopher Poindexter poem](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/86/f2/03/86f20313f731f16c9698fca8fcb07ac1.jpg). "I will always love you,/and you must know:/there are seas/inside me/and the waves/only sway/to the sound/of your name.
> 
> So yeah, this is the first thing I wrote for this fic, but since I can't just let myself have nice things, I tried to write a whole fic around it. It actually turned out rather well, and I am so thankful to everyone who has stuck with this!


	6. What if It Cost You Your Heart and Your Last Name? (+1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is SO LATE! Sorry, everyone, if anyone is still reading this. I had a name picked out, but then the chapter REFUSED to work with it, so.... Oops? But this is it! The end of this fic! We made it! <3

            The wedding is planned for late September, and Credence and Percival are determined to keep the affair small, with only those in attendance who are closest to them.

            Tina, of course, and then Queenie with her plus one (at the time, Percival doesn't miss the way Credence has to cover a cough at this, although he is clueless as to the reason). Newt gets his own invitation from Credence, minus the plus one in case he tries to argue one of his creatures or (Morgana forbid) his _suitcase_ counts as one.

            Theseus receives an invitation from Percival when Credence stares incredulously at Percy when they first discuss it, and Percy hesitates before suggesting Thes can be Newt’s plus one. He had been worried that, because Theseus is single at the moment, and with their history…

            Although he misses his old friend, he will do anything to make sure Credence is comfortable.

            Filled with joy at the kindness of the man he is marrying, he can’t resist pulling Credence in for a kiss. He never should have expected differently, but sometimes the depth of Credence’s compassion astounds him.

            Modesty receives her own invitation, and brings it with her everywhere she goes for the weeks leading up to the event. In the first days, constantly running her fingers over the finely inked "Miss Modesty Picquery" on the envelope, spreading ink to everything she touches and driving the adults around her crazy until a grinning Percival charms the ink to never rub off.

            Sera, herself, will be the one officiating, and she had _not_ cried when Percival had asked her, just the same as Percival had not cried when he had _done_ the asking.

~*~

            Blinking rapidly to clear his eyes of wetness, Percival blames it on dust in the room, and Sera takes pique at his slight at her housekeeping, her own moist eyes ignored in favor of glaring at her friend.

            They fall back to bickering until Credence, Modesty tucked under his chin, mentions that Queenie has been looking particularly happy recently, and Sera flushes, standing abruptly saying it is time for Modesty to be heading to bed.

            The girl grins at Credence and leans in to kiss his cheek goodnight, rambling on about how sweet Miss Queenie has been, how much time she has been spending with them. Helping her settle in. Helping her become accustomed to the new, magical world she finds herself in. Helping her new mom magic up dinners more befitting having a growing child in the house.

            She smiles up at Sera, and Percival watches the President’s exasperation melt into softness, unable to keep her own smile from forming in response to her adopted daughter's.

            "Yes," Sera murmurs, "she is a great help. A sweet girl."

            Percival takes her hand and squeezes it gently as she passes. "You deserve sweet, Sera."

            He glances at Credence then, and Sera squeezes his hand right back, understanding. "I'm trying," she says.

            Modesty moves closer and hugs Percival, who presses a kiss to her shining hair, laughing softly when she tries to hide her yawn and informs him solemnly that she hopes he feels better, allergies are awful but Mommy Phina gives her a little potion, and she feels all better, maybe he should try that.

            He and Credence meet eyes over her head and Percy sees his own longing reflected back at him. He holds out a hand to Credence when he releases Modesty, and pulls him in to press a kiss to the tip of his nose.

            "How about it?" he asks.

            "If you are sure," Credence responds, eyes alight.

            Sera, who has been watching this exchange, just rolls her eyes and leads a sleepy Modesty to bed. Muttering something about his emotional range—although Percival thinks he is handling things just fine, thank you very much.

            They stay for another hour, sitting and talking about nothing until the sudden tapping of a pigeon at the window makes them all jump, and Sera blush again. Credence drags Percival off before he can say anything to upset Sera _“We’re just teasing, Credence.” “Well, none of that, tonight. Say goodnight, Percival.”_

            When they arrive back home, they make their way to stand together in the doorway of one of the many empty rooms in the old house.

            They move to the couch to hold each other and plan until Credence is yawning and Percival can’t keep his eyes open.

~*~

            The day of the wedding dawns bright and warm, and Percival pouts when he wakes up alone in Seraphina's spare bed, glaring at her when she and Queenie barge in moments later with breakfast. Queenie at least comes holding coffee, so she escapes the dark expression, and Sera just ignores him to set the tray to hover over his lap. He tries out his glare on that, unsurprisingly enough with no effect.

            "Dig in. The sooner you finish and behave yourself, the sooner we can get you ready and married off." There is a smile hiding in her voice, but Percival’s scowl deepens.

            Percy turns to her, trying to control his pout, "I am not a child, Seraphina."

            Queenie giggles and sits beside him on the bed. "Don't worry, sugar, when I left this morning, Credence was just as grumpy to be waking up alone."

            Conflicted, Percival perks up at the mention of his fiancé’s name, but tilts his head towards Queenie, hoping for more.

            He doesn’t want Credence to be upset… but it does feel good to know Credence misses him as well. All he gets is a quick pat on the cheek and a giggled "he'll be just fine" addressed to Sera, before the two women leave him to get ready, themselves.

            Taking a deep breath, Percival digs into the breakfast, smile forming as he thinks about Credence sitting in the Goldsteins’ apartment, taking his own breakfast. Preparing for their wedding.

            Careful not to slosh his coffee, and certain of his privacy, Percival does a tiny dance. _They are going to be married_.

~*~

            Magic is mostly about intent, not just specifics.

            For instance: the MACUSA swearing in ceremonies Percival had attended were no less binding for his refusal to use his middle name. Percival Graves is who he is, and the magic respects that. He could have been sworn in to any of his roles with any name under the sun, and yet it is still _his_ magic that would be bound.

            (He tries not to overthink this, and is mostly successful on any but his darkest nights. How a name and a face can be different from the _person_. From the magic inside that can never be stolen or mimicked.

            How the system had failed Credence—birth name now forever unknown—and had almost failed him… had almost taken everything he had. It is usually at this point that he feels Credence’s hand stroking his hair, soft inquisitive sounds escaping as he senses the shift in mood.)

            Seraphina questions nothing, then, on the run-through before the ceremony, and in any of the discussions leading up to the event, when the names they will be using read _Percival Graves_ and _Credence Graves_.

            The ceremony is an odd mix of different traditions, which fits them. Percival smiles as he looks around at the assembled party, recognizing that he is surrounded by their closest friends. Their family.

            He knows the reception will be a long and crowded affair, but this is for them. For Percival and Credence and those members of their found family who love them and have been through the unimaginable with them, and for them, and have stayed.

            Credence’s eyes are clear, and glowing with excitement as he finally sets eyes on Percival when they approach each other to meet standing on either side of Sera.

            Percival fancies for a moment that he can see himself reflected in that gaze, that with the joy arcing between them, there is nothing they could not do. Together.

            Credence takes his hands.

            Seraphina holds her wand over their clasped hands and begins the series of complicated knots and figures over them that will tie them to each other. Legally, magically, and officially.

            Holding hands with the man he loves, his husband for the rest of their days, he grins at him, receiving a cheeky quirk of lips right back. And a small nod. This day is for their family just as much as it is for themselves.

            When it is his turn to participate, he tilts his head so he can watch the play of emotions over Sera’s face.

            “Now, Percy, repeat after me. ‘I, Percival—‘ Are… ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME WHAT KIND OF MIDDLE NAME IS THIS?”

            Credence and Percival break down into laughter as Seraphina fumes and stares at the two of them in accusation.

            There are murmurs of confusion from their friends, and a sudden tinkle of laughter from Queenie, and by the time Seraphina has calmed down enough to continue, Percival and Credence are bent over nearly in half with laughter, held up mostly by the magic still swirling over and around their clasped hands.

            Percival clears his throat and stands up tall again, eyes dewy with tears from laughing so hard. They finish the ceremony without any further incidents and share their first kiss as husbands before heading off to sign the certificate.

            There, spelled out in black ink, the name that had resulted in so much absurd guessing over the years, the even more absurd: “Percival Respectable Turkey Franklin Graves.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just [a few notes](http://gizmodo.com/did-ben-franklin-want-the-turkey-to-be-our-national-sym-1661300334) on [Franklin's thoughts](https://books.google.com/books?id=0JxPAQAAIAAJ&dq=%2522For%2520my%2520own%2520part%2520I%2520wish%2520the%2520Bald%2520Eagle%2520had%2520not%2520been%2520chosen%2522&pg=PA567&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false) on the turkey (I had never read the quote before, just what was mentioned in _1776_. So I actually did the tiniest bit of research. For which I blame Nork.) I like the idea of Percival being a little vain, but respectable and courageous. idek guys, salty Franklin gives me LIFE, ok.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who has read this! Sorry it ended so blah, but I just had to _finish_ it, you know? And I finally made myself sit down to do it. It is almost twice as long as any of the other chapters, so that happened xD


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